The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
Cryptographic devices and methods are generally used to encrypt and decrypt information transmitted through communication and transmission systems. However, cryptographic devices and methods may also be used to encrypt passive data stored on a computer or another physical device such as a tape drive or flash memory. A plaintext message may be encrypted by a sender using a unique key, and the encrypted message, called ciphertext, is transmitted to a receiver. Using the same key (symmetric) or a distinct key, the receiver may apply a decryption device or method to the ciphertext. The output of this decryption device or method is expected to be the same plaintext message that the sender gathered before encrypting and sending the plaintext message.